Long overdue :)

Well I have been meaning to post something about our transition to cloth diapers for some time, and well I just have not had time :)  A little over a month ago I bought our first cloth diaper, and I LOVE them! 

Paul had always wanted to do cloth from before Emily was even here, but his idea of cloth was the old pre folds with pins and I did not know if I was up for that.  I had been interested in doing cloth, we already do cloth napkins, use rags and sponges instead of paper towels when we can, cloth sandwich/snack bags ( www.snacktaxi.com/ )and when I remember my reusable bags I bring those to the grocery store as well.  After spending years educating the youth about ways to help the environment as a wildlife educator in the summers at a camp I really do try to make a conscious decision about things that effect my carbon foot print.  And I am proud to say I believe Paul and I have a smaller one than most households.  We recycle everything we can and only have one trash can of garbage every other week. 

Well when disposable diapers entered our lives our trash doubled! That means we were adding about 30-40 gallons of diapers to the landfill every WEEK!  And that is just our house, imagine all the little kids you see around, and think how that adds up.  Now you have to remember that was a newborn so they are changed more often and Emily has very sensitive skin so I changed her even more frequently.  So we may of had a few more diapers than some, but not much. 

I had seen these "fancy" cloth diapers working as a nurse, and was very interested in using them but Paul and I could not come to agreement, see these "fancy" cloth are about $20 per diaper and the up front cost was holding us back.  But when I figured the cost of prefolds and covers you are not saving much.  While we discussed it (for many months) Amanda (my sister) started the transition to cloth using these "fancy" diapers.  Paul said see how your sister likes them in a few months.  And I think we all know how the story ends. 

Well now our stash of cloth is up to 11 diapers, that does not seem like many and I have to do laundry alot, but it has already decreased the amount of disposable diapers by at least half.  We do disposable over night and while the diapers are being washed and dried.  In the near future with our slowly growing supply of cloth I should be able to do cloth full time with needing to wash daily.  I think with 4 or 5 more I would be able to get by with daily laundry. 

Besides the environmental benefits I have noticed some other pluses as well.  Emily had a chronic red bottom and an eczema patch, that has all cleared since the switch.  No pre rinsing with breastfeeding, just toss them in the wash and they clean up nice.  I do not have a single stained diaper!  And who does not love a cute little cloth diaper bottom!